I was looking forward to the morning session at the Genome Canada International Conference. Too often as the Communications guy I find myself answering questions from people who see genomics and genetics as something unnatural or artifical. If nothing else I hoped the session called 'Green Genomics' would help me with those answers. For the most part it didn't give me that, but it certainly gave me lots to talk about when people come knocking and ask what genomics is all about.

Dr. Melody Clark is with the British Antarctic Survey and from the opening picture she had my attention. ( pictures of the Antarctic are a guaranteed hook ). She heads a multi-disciplinary team that is using a genomic approach to look at whole populations in the Antarctic - and to a certain extent the Arctic as well, so she likes to consider herself to be 'bi-polar'. Antarctic species are relatively young having been around for only a couple of million years and needless to say highly adapted to the cold conditions. Most of us tend to think of Penguins in the South or Polar Bears in the North but Dr. Clark works with what she calls the 'ugly stuff'. Worms, algae, krill, invertebrates, etc. and how they are reacting to changes in the climate and how that in turn is altering life for larger species including fish and the much cuter Penguin.
For instance in the Arctic a half degree change in temp moved fish further North and that is where the world including media, policy makers, and the public turned their attentions and concern. It was really the food sources that were greatly affected and were becoming more prevalent in more Northern regions and in turn things with fins headed that way. What was never addressed in the session and what as a PR guy for science I often need help with was the 'so what' question. It doesn't help reverse climate change, no one is suggesting we can breed these food sources for fish to fair better in warmer climates, and though Dr. Clark talked about individual organisms that manage to adapt, it didn't sound as if this was a natural process we can count on.

Certainly she gave me some great ideas to help on the awareness side of communicating science but there is plenty of awareness out there and society tends to simply carry on with an occasional tsk, tsk over what is happening.
As fascinating as she was ( i.e. some cold weather fish have clear blood and some cold adapted species have heat shock proteins for short term emergency response to temp change ) I haven't quite figured out what we can do with this work. The theme for the conference is 2020: Impact of Science on Society but this situation was the other way around I would say. In fairness to Dr. Clark a lot of the speakers seem to have been well-intentioned but missed the mark somewhat.
 
The final session for the morning was Malcolm Devine and I did quite a few Twitter (search for #genome ) entries because his work around plant genomics definitely had an impact on society. He also raised what I think is a pretty key issue. There was a time when plant breeding was carried on in the public interest with strong government support. That isn't the case anymore and it is causing problems. First off the investment and research capacity of the private sector is at capacity. Given the current economic climate that may be an understatement. Secondly, the number of plant breeding specialist being turned out by universities or colleges is at an all time low. Someone in the session even suggested that the UK in fact no longer has an academic program for plant breeders. As we try to cope with environmental changes, food shortages, rising costs, and growing populations it strikes me that we have a looming problem. One that we can address, one that seems to have immediate wins, and one that I can hang an impact of science on society hat on next time I'm asked.

It has been a good series of meetings so far but now I have to tackle the REALLY serious conference issues. A major hotel meeting room with few power outlets, and WiFi access that they should be embarrassed to charge for.